Grid-bar for cotton-openers.



No. 630,022. Patented Aug. I, I899. A. T. ATHERTON.

GRID BAR FOR COTTON-OPENERS.

(Application filed May 5, 1899.)

- (No Model.)

Ira/ador- (JAM (I 4 m (71/ a JM QQWS @MI ABEL T. ATIIERTON, OFvVAItlVICK, RHODE ISLAND.

GRID-BAR FOR COTTON-OPENERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,022, dated August1, 1899.

' Application filed May 5,1899. Serial No. 715,674. (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, ABEL T. ATHERTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bay Side, lVarwick, in the county of Kent and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grid-Barsfor Cotton-Openers, 6150., of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved means ofmounting and adjusting the grid-bars of cotton-openers and other likemachines in order to meet the varied requirements of practice.

More in particular the aims of the invention are to provide asatisfactory and efficient means of enabling the distances between therespective grid-bars of a series to be varied independently of oneanother, the angle of the respective grid-bars to be alteredindependently with respect to the path of the beater, and the workingedge of each of the respective grid-bars to be varied in its distancefrom the edge of the beater-blade. Various attempts have been made toprovide suitable adjusting means for use in connection with the saidgrid-bars, and various arrangements have been tried in the endeavor toaccomplish some of the ends above stated. The most of these, however,have been unsuccessful and have not gone into use, while so far as I amaware there is no satisfactory arrangement now in actual employment foradjusting the grid-bars of a cotton-opener or the like machine to securethe results which are mentioned above.

My invention consists in a simple and practical combination andconstruction which efficiently and conveniently attains the desired endsand has thus far given complete satisfaction.

The said invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which I have illustrated an embodiment of the same, afterwhich the distinguishing features thereof will be particularly pointedout and distinctly defined in the claims at the close of thisspecification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a sectional representation of part of acotton-opener with the said embodiment of my invention applied thereto.Fig. 2 is an isometric of one of the grid-bars detached with its blocksand ad justing-screws. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the parts which arerepresented in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 1 may designate devices for delivering thefibrous material to the opener, 2 the beater, and 3 3 the grid-bars. Anyconvenient manner of supporting the said grid-bars may be adopted inpractice, so long as my invention, about to be described, is combinedtherewith. Herein I have shown a well-known form of support consistingof the slide 4:, the latter being applied and sustained in the machinein suitable and known manner, not needing to be shown or set forthherein. The said slide sustains the ends of the series of grid-bars atoneside of the machine, the arrangement of parts being duplicated at theother side of the machine. (Not shown.) The slide 4 is furnished with aflange at 5 to receive and support the end portions of the gridbars, thesaid end portions being suitably shaped. Sometimes in practice insteadof shaping the integral ends of the grid-bars to fitthe flange 5 of theslide 4 and to receive the adjustingscrews, to which reference willshortly be made, as may be done if deemed advisable, I apply to the saidends the shaped blocks 6 (3, each resembling a short segment of a fiatannulus, as shown. Then these blocks are employed, they are fitted andsecured in suitable manner upon reduced portions 7 7,formed at the endsof the grid-bars. (See more particularly Figs. 2 and 3.) By the term endportions, used in connection with the gridbars, I intend equally thesaid blocks 6 6, in case the same are employed, or the integral portionsof the grid-bars, which are utilized for the same purposes when the saidblocks are not employed. The outer curved surfaces 8 8 of the endportions of the grid-bars bear against the inner surface of the flange 5of slide 4, the said inner surface being insubstantial concentricitywith the axis of the beater 2. The lowest of the series of grid-barsusually has the lower surface 9 of its end portion arranged to restagainst the shoulder 10 of the slide, the adjusting-screws which areapplied to the other grid-bars of theseries usually being omitted fromthe said lowest grid-bar, although this is optional. Each of theremaining grid-bars of the series is spaced ICO from the one next belowthe same by means of the adjusting-screws which are applied to its ownend portion. The said adjustingscrews are designated 11 12. There aretwo such adjusting-screws combined with each end portion of a grid-bar,the one, 11, being located near the outer edge of the grid-bar and theother, 12, being located near the inner edge thereof. In the drawingsthe said screws are shown located near the opposite ends of the block 6.The heads of the adjusting- .screws which are applied to the end portionend portions of the grid-bars, as at 1e 14, Fig.

3, are counterbored, as at 15 15, same figure,

" to receive the enlarged heads-of the adj usting-screws 11 and 12 whennecessary in making adjustment.

As is understood by the practical cotton manufacturer, the spacing apartof the gridbars of a cotton-opener or the like machine requires to bevaried to suit the character and qualities of the material being handledand to meet a considerable number of well-known circumstances andconditions. The distance between each grid-bar and the next adjoiningone on either side requires to be adjusted to suit the particularconditions under which the work is being performed and varies with theposition of the individual grid-bar in the series in use in a givenmachine. My invention enables the spacing to be adjusted to meet any andall of the usual requirements.

By separately adjusting the two screwsll and 12 as maybe found necessaryeach grid-bar may be set at any required angle with respect to the pathof the beater. When by reason of occupying too acute an angle thegrid-bars permit too much stock to escape through the spaces betweenthem, my invention enables the grid-bars to be varied in theirinclination by adjustment of the said two adjusting-screws 11 and 12 torender the angle of the respective grid-bars more obtuse until onlyleaf, seeds, and the like impurities shall pass off at the grid-bars.The leatier the stock that is being handled the nearer the edge of thegrid-bar should be placed with reference to the path of the beater, sothat the fiber may be more thoroughly cleaned; also, for short stock theedge of the grid-bar should be located nearer the path of the beaterthan for long stock. My invention enables the position ofthe inner edgeof the grid-bars to be accommodated to the needs of the material beingtreated inthese latter respects, for it is obvious that the setting ofeither adjusting-screw to vary the angular or inclined position of thegrid-bar causes the inner or working edge thereof to swing in the arc ofa circle about the head of the other of the said adjusting-screws. Thisare will be secant to the circular path described by the beater-blade.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with the beater of acotton-opener or the like machine, and a gridbar working in connectiontherewith, of the spacing and adjusting screws 11 and 12 applied to theend portion of the said grid-bar and projecting therefr01n,the heads ofthe said screws making contact with an adjacent object to position thegrid-bar, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the beater of a cotton-opener or the likemachine, and a series of grid-bars working in connection therewith, ofpairs of adjusting-screws 11 and 12 applied to the end portions of therespective grid-bars and projecting therefrom, whereby to support andadjust the grid-bars relatively to one another and to the beater,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ABEL T. ATHERTON.

Witnesses:

OHAs. F. RANDALL, WM. A. MAcLEoD.

